Deceitful
by RippledOcean
Summary: Tifa is left alone with Denzel and Marlene while Cloud is secretly with Aerith. With no word from Cloud in days, Tifa takes it upon herself to go and find him. NOTICE- Aerith isn't apart of the gang in this fic, no one knows her.


Tifa sighed as she rummaged through Cloud's desk. It was unusual for her to be suspicious but it was unusual for Cloud to not come home. She knew something was up with him...he wouldn't leave her or the kids like this. She moved most paper work to one side of the desk as she scanned the sheets, nothing. There was nothing for her to be suspicious about...or he was just an excellent hider.

"Tifa?" She heard a muffled voice under a yawn, she turned to see Marlene rubbing her eyes.

"Marlene, what are you doing up?" Tifa asked quietly, not wanting to wake Denzel. "I needed a drink...why are you going through Cloud's things?" Marlene wasn't six anymore, she had grown up and she wasn't afraid to have an attitude. "I'm just looking for some delivery receipts." She said, she wasn't going to tell her the truth. "Right. Where is he anyway?" Tifa sighed and walked towards her, leaving his desk "I don't know. Go back to bed, okay? Maybe he'll be here in the morning." Marlene started to walk back upstairs, "Doubt it." She muttered under her breath.

Marlene had a point. Cloud was nowhere to be seen and no one had heard from him so she doubted it too. Tifa took out her phone and dialled the blonde's number, she had tried to call him all week and he hadn't answered her. The phone line instantly transferred to voicemail. But it was no surprise to her now, she was used to him ignoring or even avoiding her. She sighed and walked into the bar and slowly poured some vodka into a small glass, she added a light amount of Midori as well. Tifa liked drinking during days like this, days when she had no idea what was going on. She hated being alone and as did Cloud; so where was he?

"Tifa." A sigh was let out of the person's mouth, she blinked at the person. "I've been knocking for ages!" it was her old friend, Yuffie but Tifa was wondering more about why she didn't notice. Was she that deep into thought to not even notice sounds now? "I'm sorry, I didn't hear you." Tifa answered with a smile. "Woah, what is with you? You're drunk aren't you? Ha! Where is Cloud to enjoy this?" She laughed, a grin firmly planted on her face. Tifa didn't have the same expression but she managed to leak out a simple laugh. "He's working late tonight." She lied, well she didn't know...

"Anyway, why did you pop in?" She asked Yuffie, it was a pretty random visit after all. "I've just been with Vincent, he thought he'd seen Cloud with this girl so I came here to prove him wrong." Tifa's heart sunk a little, Reno had already mentioned it before and that's why she was suspicious but she thought he was just teasing...plus he was drunk when he said it. But she knew Yuffie, or even Vincent, would lie or joke about it so everything started to make more sense. "I see." She said with no emotion. "But he's not is he? I mean, you've heard from him tonight right? He wouldn't be answering you if he was with another girl." It made Tifa think about the last time she tried to call him which was before Yuffie had arrived. She nodded regardless "I called him before you came and he just said he'd be back early morning. " It was a lie which became sour in her mouth, she was used to lying, especially_ that_ lie. She said it to the children when Cloud started not coming home but they were used to it now too and she knew she wouldn't need to even lie anymore, they had also lost hope. "Exactly! Vincent is just old! He's getting blind. Anyway, best be going now as it's late! But I'll see you probably tomorrow; I need to show Cloud my new materia!" Tifa just nodded and watched her friend leave, she locked the doors after just to make sure no one else would get in without her realising.

She laid in her bed, eyes wide open and her hands held together on her chest. "Please, just come home." She said quietly as crystal tears slowly started to fall.


End file.
